Digitaria stewartiana

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 7–15 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 3–6 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate; unilateral; 3–4.5 cm long. Rhachis broadly winged; with rounded midrib; glabrous on surface.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 1–1.5 mm long; scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.5–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–2 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; pallid; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Paniceae. Bor 1993.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.